Chapter 484

========[ Lacey ]========

Although the matter in Arad was successfully concluded… Ha-shal-leur overlooked one fact.

While she was lingering in Arad, rumors about her had already spread throughout the Holy Kingdom.

The rumors didn’t contain the full truth, only the parts that were publicly known.

The information Lacey obtained was also of that nature.

—

*Clang!*

A teacup slipped from her loosened fingers and shattered into pieces.

The sharp sound of breaking. Holy water scattered across the floor, staining it deeply.

“…What? What did you just say…?”

Lacey, pale-faced and trembling, questioned the subordinate who delivered the report.

The declaration of Ha-shal-leur’s occupation of Arad. The abandonment of her authority as an honorary paladin.

And the subsequent clash with the Astraea Church Order branch.

For Lacey, who had been feeling uneasy ever since sending Ha-shal-leur to Arad, this news was overwhelmingly shocking.

…In fact, the truly shocking part was yet to come.

“That’s… not all. After the clash with Wilhelm, Sir Median…”

The informant kneeling before Lacey cautiously continued the report, watching her reaction.

The main force of Astraea that arrived after Wilhelm’s death, and Ha-shal-leur’s contact with them while occupying Arad.

The news that Ha-shal-leur met Seilon in his barracks and engaged in a ‘secret’ conversation, attempting some kind of negotiation, and the duel that followed as a result of that negotiation.

“…Thus, the Holy Legion of the Astraea Church Order accepted their defeat in the duel and retreated. After that, Sir Median, along with Seilon… Archbishop Elmain?”

The informant, puzzled by Lacey’s silence, slightly raised his head to look at her.

“……”

No response was expected.

Lacey had already fainted in her chair.

It was too shocking for her to handle at the moment.

Especially that part about the ‘secret’ conversation.

========[ Astraea Main Diocese, Cardinal’s Office ]========

On the desk of Cardinal Ernliter Zaisers of the Astraea Church Order lay two pieces of paper.

A report from the Holy Legion, which had decided to retreat due to Seilon’s unilateral decision, delivered by a swift messenger.

One was written by Seilon himself, and the other was a petition sent by the judges who were retreating with the Holy Legion.

—

“How dare…!”

Ten minutes ago, upon hearing the news of the retreat through the messenger, Zaisers couldn’t contain his anger.

He had sent Seilon to judge the dissidents, but instead, he engaged in a duel and retreated.

It was nothing short of insubordination… no, it was outright insubordination.

If any other judge or paladin had done such a thing, they would have been excommunicated without hesitation, captured, and sent to the church’s basement.

The only reason Seilon hadn’t met such a fate was because of the achievements and trust he had built up until now.

Instead of immediately excommunicating him, Zaisers chose to suppress his anger and read the two reports handed over by the messenger.

He needed to understand what had led Seilon to make such a decision before sending him to the basement.

Perhaps Astraea had protected Seilon.

Fortunately for Seilon, Zaisers picked up his report first.

If he had read the other judges’ petition first… Seilon might have been looking for a grave by now.

Zaisers cut open the heavily sealed envelope and sat down to carefully read the report.

Then, ten seconds later, his eyes widened, and he shot up from his seat.

‘What…! The Holy Mark, the Holy Mark…?!’

In all his life, he had never been so shocked.

Zaisers rubbed his eyes in disbelief, then pulled the report closer, scrutinizing each word as if to engrave them into his retinas.

But no matter how much he stared, the contents didn’t change.

“Astraea…”

After finishing the report, Zaisers looked up at the ceiling of his office and muttered the goddess’s name.

His heart was a chaotic mix of awe and confusion.

The only word he could utter was that.

Afterward, Zaisers locked himself in his private room and prayed for a full day.

Praising the goddess, reflecting on his path, and pondering the direction he should take.

Though Astraea didn’t answer his prayers, isn’t that what faith is all about?

The next day, after twenty-four hours of prayer, Zaisers emerged from his room with a calmer expression.

As if he had finally found the answer to the dilemma that had been plaguing his mind.

Then, appearing in an official setting, Zaisers accepted all the requests made by Ha-shal-leur and Seilon.

He acknowledged Ha-shal-leur’s rule over Arad while hiding the truth about the Holy Mark, swore not to interfere in Arad’s affairs anymore, and even declared that Seilon’s decision to retreat was in accordance with the goddess’s will.

The other cardinals suspected Zaisers might have gone senile, but since it wasn’t their place to interfere, they didn’t raise any objections.

—

The last thing Zaisers agonized over was whether to publicly announce that Seilon and Ha-shal-leur were in a ‘romantic relationship.’

Pretending to be lovers was blasphemous, especially if it involved a saint candidate… but after reading the petition from another judge that said, ‘Seilon must have fallen to the temptations of a prostitute,’ Zaisers ultimately decided to permit it.

There was nothing more blasphemous than having the saint candidate of Astraea insulted as a prostitute by the very followers of Astraea.

Zaisers officially recognized that the two had been in a relationship since before the Arad incident and ordered the followers to refrain from insulting her.

Insulting her would be no different from insulting Judge Seilon, and by extension, Astraea herself, who had bestowed the power of judgment upon Seilon.

The Holy Kingdom was in an uproar.

—

Everyone was in shock.

A chaste judge who had lived in celibacy for thirty years, and a barbarian warrior woman from a foreign land, in a romantic relationship?

It was a scandal that went far beyond their common sense.

The followers of the Astraea Church Order refrained from insulting Ha-shal-leur as per the cardinal’s orders, but the followers of other churches and ordinary citizens of the Holy Kingdom had no reason to comply.

“That barbarian must be really hot, huh? Even the Golden Seilon needed a heater for the winter!”

“Haha, a heater worth a fortune! I wish she could warm my bed too!”

Those who opposed Ha-shal-leur mocked her, saying her heat was enough to melt even the Golden Seilon.

“By the order of Cardinal Zaisers, in the name of Astraea, I arrest you. Come with me.”

“Uh, uh…! Paladin…?! No, we were just…!”

“I won’t say it twice. Get up now!”

Of course, those who dared to utter such words in the presence of the Astraea Church Order had to pay a heavy price for insulting the judge and his lover.

The Elpinel Church Order also didn’t overlook the insults against Ha-shal-leur.

Though she had resigned her position as an honorary paladin, the Elpinel Church Order had not yet accepted her resignation.

However, no matter how strongly the church responded, they couldn’t prevent Seilon’s reputation from plummeting.

As for Ha-shal-leur, most people thought it was just a barbarian woman finding a suitable mate in her own way, but Seilon…

The leading paladin of the church, a man who had been seduced by a foreign girl over a decade younger than him, couldn’t escape the criticism.

It’s one thing for a barbarian to act like a barbarian, but when a seemingly noble man reveals such a disgraceful side, the backlash is immense.

Thus, the ‘Golden’ Seilon gained a dozen new nicknames.

Seilon the ‘Great Rod,’ who conquered the Empire’s strongest female warrior.

Seilon the ‘Gilded,’ whose facade had been stripped away.

Seilon the ‘Lover,’ who withdrew his army for a woman.

And many other derogatory names like ‘Plundered Gold’ and ‘Night Judge’ sprang up like mushrooms.

Though no one dared to say it openly, in places where the church’s ears didn’t reach, people gathered in small groups and sang songs about the judge conquered by a barbarian woman, using them as drinking songs.

If Seilon had heard, he would have clutched his chest and collapsed.

========[ St. Eluniel Cathedral. Leonor and Nigel. ]========

After Ha-shal-leur left with Lacey for another city, Leonor and Nigel, who remained in the Holy City, spent their time sparring repeatedly.

There was nothing else to do.

The paladins had already taken care of all the monster subjugation missions, and the task of relaying news from the Holy City to Ha-shal-leur’s group had been taken over by Lacey’s subordinates.

The rumors about Ha-shal-leur and Seilon reached their ears on the very day their relationship was officially recognized.

“Ha-shal-leur, in a relationship…? Nonsense. That can’t be true.”

Nigel’s reaction was one of denial.

She would rather believe that Or-han had fallen off his horse and been trampled to death than believe Ha-shal-leur was involved with a man over a decade older.

“Well, she’s at that age, isn’t she? The partner is a bit unexpected, though. I thought she liked women, given how differently she treats men and women.”

“…It’s nonsense. She even rejected His Majesty the Emperor’s marriage proposal, and now she’s with some church paladin…!”

“Love comes when you least expect it. Maybe our lady has a thing for strong men.”

“No, that can’t be true!”

Leonor teased Nigel with a chuckle.

Though she also thought it was just a rumor, she was already excited to tease Ha-shal-leur when she returned to the Holy City.

‘Of course, the talk of seduction and lovers is just nonsense, but if a cardinal himself officially recognized it, something must have happened… Given that they’re protecting Ha-shal-leur, who had shown hostility toward the Astraea Church Order, maybe the Arad situation turned out better than expected?’

That was as far as Leonor could guess.

Even she couldn’t have anticipated the descent of the Holy Mark from the heavens.